Package drink

Abstract

To provide a packaged high-catechin beverage in which a low-caffeine green tea extract is added. A packaged beverage containing from 0.03 to 1.0 wt % of non-polymer catechins, in which a low-caffeine green tea extract obtained by a method of brining a green tea extract into contact with a 91/9 to 97/3 by weight mixture of an organic solvent and water, activated carbon, and acid clay or activated clay is added.

1 . A low-caffeine green tea extract comprising from 40 to 90 wt % of non-polymer catechins based on a solid content of said low-caffeine green tea extract, and the weight ratio of the non-polymer catechins to caffeine is from 25 to 200, and wherein the weight ratio of said non-polymer catechins to (free amino acids+proteins) is from 15 to 25. 
     
     
         2 . The low-caffeine green tea extract according to  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of said non-polymer catechins to (free amino acids+proteins) is from 15 to 20. 
     
     
         3 . The low-caffeine green tea extract according to  claim 1 , wherein the content of gallates in the low-caffeine green tea extract is from 45 to 98 wt % of said non-polymer catechins. 
     
     
         4 . The low-caffeine green tea extract according to  claim 2 , wherein the content of gallates in the low-caffeine green tea extract is from 45 to 98 wt % of said non-polymer catechins. 
     
     
         5 . A packaged beverage comprising the low-caffeine green tea extract according to  claim 1 , wherein non-polymer catechins dissolved in water are contained in an amount of from 0.03 to 1.0 wt %. 
     
     
         6 . A packaged beverage comprising the low-caffeine green tea extract according to  claim 2 , wherein non-polymer catechins dissolved in water are contained in an amount of from 0.03 to 1.0 wt %. 
     
     
         7 . A packaged beverage comprising the low-caffeine green tea extract according to  claim 3 , wherein non-polymer catechins dissolved in water are contained in an amount of from 0.03 to 1.0 wt %. 
     
     
         8 . A packaged beverage comprising the low-caffeine green tea extract according to  claim 4 , wherein non-polymer catechins dissolved in water are contained in an amount of from 0.03 to 1.0 wt %. 
     
     
         9 . The packaged beverage according to  claim 5 , which has a pH of from 2 to 6. 
     
     
         10 . The packaged beverage according to  claim 6 , which has a pH of from 2 to 6. 
     
     
         11 . The packaged beverage according to  claim 7 , which has a pH of from 2 to 6. 
     
     
         12 . The packaged beverage according to  claim 8 , which has a pH of from 2 to 6. 
     
     
         13 . The packaged beverage according to  claim 9 , further comprising from 0.0001 to 20 wt % of a sweetener. 
     
     
         14 . The packaged beverage according to  claim 10 , further comprising from 0.0001 to 20 wt % of a sweetener. 
     
     
         15 . The packaged beverage according to  claim 11 , further comprising from 0.0001 to 20 wt % of a sweetener. 
     
     
         16 . The packaged beverage according to  claim 12 , further comprising from 0.0001 to 20 wt % of a sweetener. 
     
     
         17 . The low-caffeine green tea extract according to  claim 1 , which has been produced by a process comprising bringing a green tea extract, a mixture comprising ethanol and water in a weight ratio of ethanol/water of 91/9 to 97/3, activated carbon, and 2.5 to 25 weight parts of acid clay or activated clay based on 100 weight parts of said mixture of ethanol and water into contact with one another,
 wherein a weight ratio of activated carbon to acid clay or activated clay is from 1 to 10 parts of acid clay or activated clay to 1 part of activated carbon.   
     
     
         18 . The low-caffeine green tea extract according to  claim 3 , which has been produced by a process comprising bringing a green tea extract, a mixture comprising ethanol and water in a weight ratio of ethanol/water of 91/9 to 97/3, activated carbon, and 2.5 to 25 weight parts of acid clay or activated clay based on 100 weight parts of said mixture of ethanol and water into contact with one another,
 wherein a weight ratio of activated carbon to acid clay or activated clay is from 1 to 10 parts of acid clay or activated clay to 1 part of activated carbon.   
     
     
         19 . A packaged beverage comprising the low-caffeine green tea extract according to  claim 17 , wherein non-polymer catechins dissolved in water are contained in an amount of from 0.03 to 1.0 wt %. 
     
     
         20 . A packaged beverage comprising the low-caffeine green tea extract according to  claim 18 , wherein non-polymer catechins dissolved in water are contained in an amount of from 0.03 to 1.0 wt %.